Joseph s



(No Model.)

J. S. ABRAMS 8v J. LANGSDORF.

` A HAT PACKING CASE. No. 477,981. Patented June 28, 1892-."

y i A Illnl* A.

. lllllll i fl -M Wall? A TTOHNEYS.

` vlllvrrln) STATES PATENT OFFICE@ JOSEPH S. ABRAMS AND JOHN-LANGSDORF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT PACKING-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,981, dated J' une 28, 1892.

' Application filed April 16. 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH S. ABRAMS and JOHN LANGsDoRrl, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Hat Packing-Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to hat-cases, and particularly to such as are used for the transportation of sample hats by commercial travelers.

' Usually hats are carried in trays in a packing-trunk and wrapped in cloth, which causes them to slide from side to side. In handling the trunk the crowns get broken and the binding worn, which lnakes the hat useless to show to customers. l

Ordinary hat boxes or trays in a trunk are inconvenient for the designated use, as a number of them have to be handled and separately opened in the display of `varied samples. Furthermore, the portage of an entire trunk that is necessary in the prosecution of business in the ordinary Way by a salesman who visits different stores to exhibit samples and take orders is cumbersome.

The object of our invention is to provide a novel hat packing-case which will contain a series of sample hats, hold them safely separated and protected from contact with the case-Walls, and afford ready access to any hat Within the case Without disturbing the remainder of said hats, a further object being to provide a hat packing-case which will be adapted for assemblage in desired numbers within an ordinary hat packing-trunk compactly and allow any case'of the set to be removed and be easily carried in closed condition to a desired point, Where the conta/'ined goods have to be exhibited.

To these ends our invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a packing-trunk on the line l 1 in Fig. 2, showing two of the improved hat-cases in position therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of a packing-trunk on the line 2` 2 in Fig. l and contained hat-cases, partly in section;

Serial No. 429,390. (No model.)

and Fig. 3 is a plan View, in section, of one hat-packing case on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

The trunk A is of the ordinary form used to transport hats in boxes, having a rectangular shape and a flat lid A.

Within the trunk-body A a removable vertical cross-Wall a is preferably placed to divide the trunk into two nearly-equal compartments for the convenient retention of the improved hat-cases B, which embody the essential features of the invention, and as the latter are of like construction a description of one will be sufficient for all. Preferably the hat-case B is made of light Wooden boards, although pasteboard of proper thickness may be used as a material from which to manufacture it, the case being rectangular and of such a corresponding height as Will perlnit it to stand within the trunk-body A and nearly touch the closed lid A'. The case B is by preference made nearly square in cross-section or of such proportionate dimensions as will adapt it to receive hats and retain them in a tier suitably spaced apart, as will be explained.

The opening for access to the interior of the hat-case B is atone side, which is removable, as at h, said side wall being provided with a cross strip or batten c, near the top and also near the bottom edge, which strips loosely engage the inner surface of the top and bottom Walls of the case when the removable side wall or vertical lid is in place, thereby retaining said lid in position. Preferably the lid b is hinged to the lower end Wall of the case B by a piece of canvas or leather strap d, which forms a cheap and reliable jointed connection for the lid, that is held in closed condition by another strap e, Which is securedV by one end portion upon the outer side of the lid near its upper end, the free portion of said strap being lapped upon the top Vwall, and thereto detachably secured in any preferred manner, a slit in the strap and stud on the case-Wall being a simple and cheap means to eifect such a connection of parts.

The preferred means for supporting a series of hats h, one above the other, Within the case B consists of a number of U-shaped-carrier-bows g, that are bent from sheet-metal strips and covered with cloth or other suitable material. Said carriers are held in `place IOO one above the other and properly spaced apart by wire hooks fi, which are screwed fast by one end to the sides of the case, one of said hooks engaging each end of a carrier-bow g and one at the center of the bow, these three points of support fora carrier retaining it in a horizontal position. The carrier-bows g, being open on the side of the case B nearest to the lid b, are cach adapted to receive ahat, which is slid into place, so as to enter the bow of the carrier and rest its rim portion on the upper edge of the bow, there being sufficient elasticity given to the carriers to allow them to spread and lightly clasp the side of the hatbody, thereby retaining the latter in place.

As a further means for retaining the inserted hats h, small bracket-fingers m are secured on the side wall of the case above the bows of the carriers g and also oppositely on the lid b, which fingers will project over the front and rear portions of the hat-rims and prevent an upward displacement of the latter, and to protect the hats from injury a fibrous envelope should be placed on the fingers.

Any desired number of the cases B within the capacity of the packing-trunk may be placed in it in rows, preferably, and as shown six of the cases are furnished, which occupy one half of the trunk-body, the other half being furnished with trays, if desired, to receive and carry soft hats and caps as samples.

When the goods are to be taken to a place for exhibit-ion and solicitation of orders, one or more of the cases B and their contents can be carried with ease by the handle-loops o, that are placed on the sides near the center. To remove any of the hats, it is only needed that the lid b of a case be removed, when one or more of the samples can be slid outwardly from their position and restored to place quickly.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A packing-case for hats, comprising a box opening on the side and spaced carrierbows within the box supported at their ends and bow portions, substantially as described.

'2. A`packing-case for hats, comprising a rectangular elongated box, a lid forming one side Wall of the case, and a series of spaced carrier-bows that are elastic and each secured within the box so as to spread when a hatis inserted, substantially as described.

3. A packing-case for hats, comprising an elongated rectangular box, a lid forming one side of the case hinged at one end and securable at the other end, a series` of spaced velastic carrier-bows Within the box', a series of fingers projected above the carrier-bow, and a series of similar fingers oppositely located on the lid of the case, substantially as de-` scribed.

JOSEPH S. ABRAMS. JOHN LAN GSDORF.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J. GIBBoNs, JOHN GREEN. 

